This crazy busy month!

 I alluded to the fact that this month was going to be really busy - well it has!!  I have to back up a bit to let you know just how much of a blessing this month has been. 

 In December our little family hit a minor road bump, we're still dealing with it and once we find out all the details we will of course share and ask for prayers.  I mention this b/c right not we are in a waiting stage, and I am not a patient person (I know God, I can only grow in patience by you giving me opportunities to be patient - but I'm still struggling)

 Anyways, God has actually come to the rescue (like always!) After a much need and wonderful vacation to the mountains we returned home to......AN OFFER ON THE HOUSE!!!!

 So, though we have not sold the house, we ARE IN CONTRACT!!!  After two years of having this house on the market, we are on our way to selling this sucker!!  Thank you Jesus!!

So we've been busy busy, finding out that our roof needed to be replaced and enjoying my sweet children being locked in our house entertained by the workers swarming our house these past four days! But, hopefully we're going to close on this house by the end of January - please say some prayers.....we still have the appraisal!! It has just been

such a blessing to keep me busy, and my mind off all this other stuff!

In the meantime, we have officially started to pack!!!  Crazy, crazy, crazy!!  When we moved into the house we had just gotten married, had no furniture, and no babies!!  Things have most certainly changed!!!  I'm going slow, just in case this thing doesn't go through....but still trying to keep moving! :)  Hope my next post is with a closing date!!!  God Bless you all, thanks for all the prayers, we'll keep you updated!!

What an AMAZING year!!

 So I'm running a bit late on the whole "year in review" post, but I know you will all forgive me  - you're just so nice like that!

 This post is dedicated to my wonderful, loving, beautiful Memere (pictured above with my nephew Bing)  She has move back north and we miss her so much; and I know she misses seeing the kids - So Memere, this post is for you!

 This has been one of the most amazing, crazy, blurry, blessed year in our lives!

 Looking back I can't believe that the twins are almost a year old, and Stephen is about to be 5!!!  What, my baby will be 5 - I can't handle it

 Every year (ok, the last two years) I've sat back and decided that I wasn't going to do a big post on the past year - then I start going through my pictures, and I just can't help but share

 It amazes me every year, and I'm sure it will for the rest of my life - just how much my sweet little children have grown!

 So I think I will leave my words at that.  Well I'll try at least, and I will let you just scroll on down and enjoy and let me know about how your family has grown this past year!!!

 I don't believe that Jude the Dude was that small...ever :)

 Every few pictures I'll type something in just to make sure you're not to board.  I think this might be my favorite picture of the year!!  This is a great and beautiful example of having young children! 

 Our first 5K....I don't think I've run since then :)

Goodbye 2011, you were wonderful to us!!  Hello 2012, things are looking pretty good!!  God is great!

A little prayer

 Good morning all!  Well I really don't have much to say or much to report.  Things here in the Maddox household are starting to get healthy again (that little thing that Alan and I swore wasn't a bug that Jude had - well it was a bug and a very contagious one at that!) Anyways, we are all out of bed and sanitized! :)

 Other that that we are just expecting a very busy month - details to come later......

 So this post is just a quick excuse to show some more pictures and to ask for your prayers for this month.

We ask that you please pray that We trust in the Lord in all that He has in store for us, guide us in His Will, and gives us peace and wisdom about the decisions that are ahead! 

Thank you so much, God Bless!!

Merry Christmas!

 You know it's been awhile since you blogged (or did anything with your pictures on your computer) when you go to download your pictures and there is well over 500 pictures! 

 So this blog is an ode to our wonderful Christmas, that we are of course still celebrating

 So stick with me as I make up something interesting to say as you scroll down a very random selection of pictures - please have mercy on my little tired soul, after a long car trip and realizing that I had so many pictures to go through I have not edited any of them.... one day I might :)

 So this Christmas we had an amazing opportunity to go up to Gatlinburg with Alan's family, we had a blast!  The kids loved seeing all their family members and their older cousins (they are well into their teens, and one is out)

 It was a wonderful trip, one that I hope at least Stephen will remember

 But this morning we got up and headed home :( after a long night of poor Jude the dude getting sick and mommy making sure he was ok to sleep before crawling in bed for a little bit, we got up and headed out before the sun rose (but not before Starbucks opened)

 So after a short discussion Alan and I decided that Jude was most likely just reacting to some mucus and all that fun stuff and he must not have a stomach bug..... so I gave him breakfast......I'll stop going into detail at this point

 So after an adventurous start to our trip we continued on our way

 Poor little Jude spent the most of the day sleeping off whatever is bugging him and I spent the trip wishing I could get to some more clothes.......(there was a nasty smelly bathroom involved in another stop on our way that added to that desire)

 But by the Grace of God we made it home with plenty of daylight left for Alan to clean out the van and the kids get the travel wiggles out! 

 Isn't that life, after a wonderful week in the mountains all I can come up with is the icky moments in the van...... let's see if I can end this post on a high note!

 There we go, these next pictures will do the trick for sure!  While we were there it SNOWED! (could someone please remind me next time my children see snow for the first time that if I sit them down for a scenic picture to make sure that someone is NOT standing behind them - b/c they will only sit still for one picture, even with a fast camera!)

 Up at the top of the mountain, there was enough snow for Stephen to make a snow ball - he has wanted to do that for as long as he's known about them (ok, that's not very long) He even got a chance to chunk a few right off the mountain!

And my sweet Abby was just so full of joy  - she just couldn't believe her little eyes!  What a great moment for everyone!!!

I promise I might post some for my favorite pictures from the week after I do some editing!!  Oh, I did get my new lens :)  Yippee for me!!